{{hat|This conversation appears to have run its course. I am very strongly supportive of the decision taken to exclude Gregory Kohs from WikiConference USA. I know nothing about the other editors he is complaining about and I'm not likely to take any interest in it. My position on conflict of interest editing is well known and has been explained many times, so there should be nothing else for me to say about that in this context.--[[User:Jimbo Wales|Jimbo Wales]] ([[User talk:Jimbo Wales#top|talk]]) 08:10, 19 June 2014

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"{{hat}}" is a wiki template that "closes" a discussion.

WP has an appeal process but whether this will be allowed remains to be seen.

Wales, born in Huntsville, Ala., where he "attended Randolph School, a university preparatory school, earning bachelor's and master’s degrees in finance" (according to his bio on WP), co-founded WP in 2001 with "Larry Sanger and others."

The WP write-up notes that Wales has "disputed" the co-founding statement, "declaring himself the sole founder."

He is on the board of the WP Foundation, the non-profit charitable organization he helped establish to operate WP, holding its board-appointed "community founder" seat.

He founded Wikia in 2004, a for-profit wiki-hosting service.

Revenues of the WP Foundation grew 26.4% to $48,635,408 in the year ended June 30, 2013. Net assets grew 29.4% to $45,189,124. Much of the money comes from annual fund-raising drives among users who are asked to make small donations so that WP will be able to function. EIN is 20-0049703.

Robert Platt (Jun. 20, 2014):I am very disappointed with Mr. Wales reaction. I believe that if a conference is advertised as "open to the public" even the "skeptical" it should be. I believe that Mr. Kohs has advocated his position in a very professional manner, and that the audience of the conference should be entitled to hear a variety of viewpoints, even if they disagree with the views of Mr. Wales. WikiConference USA was cosponsored by New York Law School and the City University of New York, so standards of academic freedom should apply instead of what an internet czar considers to be "rough justice."

Michael Wood (Jun. 19, 2014):"My position on conflict of interest editing is well known and has been explained many times"

This is true, but every time he explains it, where he actually stands on the issue becomes more confusing. Would like to know his stance on violating conflict of interest editing himself (erasing Larry Sanger as a co-founder of Wikipedia).

I have read quite a bit of Greg's writing and can say that had he not been banned, he would be the best person to discuss the issue. And I am saying this as one of his competitors.